Apparatus for delivering stationery



Aug, 18, 1925. 1,549,956

J. E. BARTLETT APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING STATIONERY Filed Oct. 50, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 18, 1925.

J. E. BARTLETT APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING STATIONERY Filed Oct. 30, 1923 3 Sheets-,Sheet 5 .Jaimiarmzf www.

Patented Aug. 1s, 192s.

UNITED STATES PATEN'I" oFFlcE.

JOHN EDMUND BARTLETT, 0F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA. ASSIGNO'B, TO BAB-TBEX MANUFACTURING C0., INC., OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, A CORPORATION Ol' .naam

.APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING STATIONERY.

Application led ctober 30, 1928. Serial No. 671,789.

To all whom t may concern.' p

Be it known that I, JOHN EDMUND BART- LE'rr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain newT and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Delivering Stationery; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and, exact description of thev invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for delivering stationery and the main purpose and object of the device is to avoid the waste of stationery and the unsightly and objectional scattering of writing paper and envelops about in hotels and other public places where stationery is gratuitously distributed.

My present invention consists in certain improvements over my priorl invention described and claimed in application Serial #614,671 filed January 24, 1923, in which application a device for use more particularly in issuing deposit slips, blank checks and the like was disclosed, and in certain adaptations of the machine for hotel use.

In dispensing envelope singly from a machine of this character, the envelop presents at least double'thiokness, and at the-"flap triple thickness over the single ply sheets which are to be dispensed in-banks as deposit slips, counter checks and checks for general use, and consequently it has become necessary for the hotel machine to make certain refinements in the feeding mechanism to insure the proper delivery of the envelops singly and in a reliable manner. l

The invention further contemplates the use of an advertising medium in connection with the stationery dispensing machine, and I aim to carry out this idea bythe use of a frame containing numbers of advertising spaces to be sold to local vmerchants whereby their goods may be advertised` in a central location, as, for instance, in a hotel lobby whenever resort is had by a guest of vthe hotel to the machine for stationery'.` The machine and advertising frame vconstitute a combined attractive article of hotel furniture, and illuminating means being used in conjunction with the advertising matter'to be lighted upon each-actuation of themachine to draw the guests attention particuy larly to the advertising and the illuminating atedfrom a single source and to relatively arrange the. two devices so that they will` form an attractive article and whereby the attention of the guest will be forcibly drawn to the various advertisements when in the act of obtaining stationery.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will. be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an improved machine oonstructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan. view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantially centrally through the machine and transversely thereof.

Figure 4f is a vertical section through a portion of the advertising frame.

Figure 5 is a Vsection taken on the line 5-5 in Figure 3.

, Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 also in Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is a section taken through the lower compartment showing the operating g .upon the envelops.

may be held in the closed position. The lass affords the guests an opportunity to lnspect the contents of the machine and to distinguish between the compartments for the letterheads and the compartments for the envelops so that a proper selectlon may be made without undue waste of material.

Within the casing is a central compart ment for the letterheads and two side or lateral compartments for the envelops. Of course, two compartments mightsuffice or the compartments may be multiplied or the compartments may be put to other uses, but I find it convenient to build a machine with the three compartments as the same possesses the necessarily high capacity for containing stationery and envelops and forms a desirable article in the trade. The letter sheets are placed in a. stack on end or vertically upon a central' rack 13 while the envelops are placed in similar stacks upon the side racks 14 and 15. These racks are inclined downwardly and forwardly from the rear wall 16 of the casing and the racks are carried by plates 17 secured to the rear wall 16 as by the use of screws or other fastenings 18 and the racks may be vertically adjusted in accordance with the length of the letter sheets and envelops. The envelops upon the rack 14 are held in place by the guide strips 19 and 2O rovided with rear flanges 21 afxed, as by t e screws or other fastenings 22,v to the rear wall 16 and being provided with slots 23 as shown in Figure 6 to permit of a horizontal adjustment of the guide strips to accommodate different widths of the letter sheets and envelops. The guide strips 19 and 20 are closed upon the edges of the stack so as to maintain the material in proper uniform relation so that the ejection from the machine may take place evenly and with a great degree of reliability. Similar guide strips 24 and 25 are provided in conjunction with the other envelop rack 15 and a similar adjustment may be effected to the same purpose. I furthermore make use of the inner guide strips 20 and 24 for acting as guides for the edges of the letter sheets containedaipon the central rack 13. For instance, the guide strips 2O and 24 may be adjusted together in order to close upon the letter sheets in the central compartment, and afterwardsv the outer guide strips 19 and 25 may be moved toward the center in ordeiwto close The outer guide strips 19 and 25 are provided with inwardly turned outer edges 26 and the inner guide strips 2O and 24 are provided with forked outer edges 27 and 28 curving in opposite directions so as to confine the outermost sheets and envelops in the several compartments.

The stacks of letter sheets in the central compartment are backed by a follower plate 29 having a flange' 30 at its lower end 'to which guide strips 31 and a plate 32 are secured as by the screws The guide strips 3l slide in slots 34 of the central rack 13, of which there are preferably two for insuring uniformity in movement of the relatively wide central follower plate 29. The follower plate and the letter sheets will tend to descend by gravity due to the inclination given the central rack 13, but I prefer to assist this movement by a more positive force, and therefore provide a finger 35 playing loosely through a central slot 36 in the rack 13 and against the rear end of the flange 30 or against the back of the follower plate 29 if desired. The finger 35 is pivoted at 37 upon the bracket secured to the rear wail 16 and the finger carries a tail piece 38 curving downwardly and outwardly from the pivot point and adjustably carrying a weight 39 which tends to swing the finger outwardly and to canse the follower plate to push the paper down the inclined rack.

Similar fingers 40 are provided in conjunction with the envelop racks 14 and 15 and these fingers are urged forwardly by adjustable weights 4l and against similar follower plates disposed behind the stacks of the envelops.

The forward edges ofthe several racks carry upwardly bowed or curved guide plates 42 having the slots 43 for receiving and guiding the pusher bars 44 of which there are three or one for each of the compartments, the central pusher bar as shown in l1`igure 1 having a bifurcated upper end or being' provided with two branch arms 45 and 46 both of which carry the cups 47, as do the other pusher bars, for the reception of the adhesive tips 48 of rubber or other materia-l having the beveled projecting ends for engaging with the outermost of the paper and envelops. The pusher bars are curved rearwardly in order to bring the adhesive tips against the envelops and paper. The lower ends of the pusher bars are pivoted to the forward ends of levers 49 pivoted as at 50 to appropriate parts within the casing. Coil springs 5l are associated with the pivot joints between the levers 49 and the pusher bars 44 foi` the purpose of tending to move both these parts downwardly. The bars 49 are slotted inter- A'anediately as indicated at 52 and lugs 53 on lfeyI levers 54 project and play back and forth in the slots 52, coil springs 55 being connected to the lugs 53 and to fixed points in the casing, for instance yto the pivot joints 50. The key levers project through slots in the front wall of the casing and are pivoted as indicated at 56. The outer` portions of the levers are provided with suitable keys for maniplation by the fingers of the guest. The key levers are three in number corresponding to the number of compartments,

and a selection is made of these levers depending upon Whether writing paper or envelops are required. i

'lhe cnvelops and the paper are delivered upwardly through the top wall of the casing and out of throats 57 made therein. These throats are provided with forwardly and upwardly extending rear guide plates 5S for receiving the upper edges of the paper material and guiding such edges outwardly and upwardly through the throats. Closure plates 59 pivotally carried as indicatedat 6() by brackets 6l hung Withinthe casing top and forwardly of the throats 57 incllned upwardly and rearwardly from the pivot points 60 and are provided with upwardly turned projecting edges 62 resting against the forward edgesof the rear guide' plates 58. Light springs are associated with the pivots 60 for the purpose of holding the closure plates 59 in the position indicated in Figure 3, but the force of the spring andl the weight of the closure plates is such that the movement of the paper slips and envelops against the same by the force of the pusher bars will open these plates automatically and permit the escape of the paper. The outer tips 62 of the closure plates will tend to guide the material in a direct line upward from the throat and will in this respect tend to offset the direction initially imparted by the rear guide plates 58. Check plates 63 A are also carried by the closure plates l59,

pivoting about the points 60. The check plates normally extend in a substantially horizontal plane and have their rear ends against the foremost envelops and paper sheets near the upper edges of the saine. These check plates are lifted automatically with the closure plates 59 at the ejection of each piece and interpose a barrier to the return of, a paper sheetso that if the movement is initiated the sheet or envelop must be pulled complet-ely out ofthe machine and no jamming of the machine vmay occur, and the unsightly appearance of partially removed material is avoided.

Now, a casing for advertising is employed in conjunction with the stationery distributing machine, and this comprises 'a rear wall 64 which is adapted to fit against. the rear wa-llf 16 of the stationery casing and to be secured thereby as by the use of screws or other fastenings 65,. The rear wall 64 of the advertising casing however, extends above and beyond the 'sides of the rear wall of the stationery casing, and side walls 66 and 67 are affixed to the outer edges of the rear wall 64. Inner strips 68 and 69 are secured to the top 70 of the advertising casing and are appropriately spaced at sufficient intervals by the cross pieces 71. These strips together with the side walls form the necessary base for holding the glass plates 72, which are carried in strips 73 secured to the into a number of spaces of uniform height and width so that the device possesses a symmetrical and pleasing appearance. vUpon the glass plates 72 or other transparent material appear the advertising matter, and when the casing is illuminated, as hereinafter described, the advertising will be forcibly brought to the attention of the guest using the machine.

lack within the casing are a number of lamps 75, 76 and 77. These lamps are shown to be three in number for illuminating the top portion of the advertising casing and the two legs thereof which straddle the stationery casing although any other number of lamps may be employed, and these lamps are for instance connected in lseries with three switches shown to be in parallel so that an one switch may close the circuit of the t ree lamps. The switches are indicated at 78, 79 and 80 and they all vconsist of stationery contacts 81 and blades 82 pivoted as indicated at S3 and having tail pieces 84 carrying heads 85 directly beneath the key levers 54 or the slotted levers 49 so that the one or the other may normally raise directly upon the heads 85 as shown in Figure 6 thereby lifting the blades 82 out of contact with the fixed contacts Sl. The lamps are therefore not illuminated in the normal position of the parts. when a customer or guest depresses one of the key levers 54 for the purpose of obtaining the paper sheets or envelops, the correspending switch will be closed as the blade will drop by gravity upon its contact, and the lamps will be illuminated. The advertising will, therefore, be vforcibly displayed.

ln the use of the device, a customer striking one of the key levers will draw the corresponding slotted lever 49 upwardly thereby elevatin the pusher bar 44 and causing its adheslve tip to lift the outermost letter sheet or envelop, as the case may be.

The envelop will be delivered through thel throat as hereinbefore described, and the guest may thereupon pull it upwardly. As soon as the key lever is operated, the advertising matter is illuminated by the automatic closing of the switch. As soon, however, as the sheet is delivered, the key lever and slotted lever will return to the initial low position by the action of gravity aided by the springs 51 and 55, and the weight of these parts will be again imposed upon the switch causing the opening of the same. The weighted followers will push the next piece of stationery up to the adhesive tips and the pusher bars and up against the However,

check plates 63 in readiness for the next actuation.

The machine may be used either with or without the advertising frame, but the advertising frame is peculiarly constructed for use in conjunction with the n'iacliine, and is made hollow centrally to receive the stationery casing and the inner sides of the advertising frame need not be provided with walls -as the side walls of the stationery casing ful'ill this function. The strips (58 and (39 of the advertising casing are merely provided as supports in part for the glass panels.

Although the machine is described more particularly as for use in hotels, it, nevertheless, may, of course, be used for other purposes. ln banks, for inslance, deposit slips, counter checks and checks for general use might be put in the three compartments of the machine, or checks, deposit slips and savings checks might be placed therein.

Certain of `the advertising spaces may be appropriated for use as a calendar.' -Three spaces, for instance, at the top center of the frame will be sufficient for this purpose, one space for holding slides containing the names or abbreviations of names of the months, while following will be slides conf taining numbers indicating the days of the months, and a more or less permanent slide in the third space will show the year. These calendar spaces may be accessible through the top portion of the frame, and the slides may be slipped in back of the glass panels.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by `tihe scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, article supporting means mounted therein, said casing being provided with a delivery throat operatively positioned with respect to each of the supporting means, ejecting means operable exteriorly of the casing and closures for the throats comprising a stationary guide plate, a pivoted guide plate engaging the stationary plate and a check plate operatively connected with the pivoted guide for obstruct-ing the delivery throat when I'said pivoted guide is opened.

2. An apparatus of the class described comprising acasing, article supporting means mounted therein, said casing being` provided with a delivery throat operatively positioned with respect to each of the supporting means, ejecting means operable exterio-rly of the casing and closures for the throats comprising an inclined guide plate positioned within the throat, a movable closure guide engaging the inclined guide and having an upturned end extending vertically beyond the end of the inclined guide exteriorly of the casing, a check plate carried by the movable uide, and means operatively associated terewith to keep the closure guide normally in engagement with the inclined guide and the check plate in an inoperative position.

3. Apparatus o-f-the character described comprising a closed casing having an opening in the front thereof and a door closing said opening, said casing having a delivery throat at the upper end, supporting racks secured to the rear wall of said casin guides for the edges of the paper slips a justably secured to said rear wall, pusher bars having adhesive tips at the upper ends thereof adapted to engage the forward paper slips, slotted levers pivoted to said casing and to said pusher bars, key levers pivoted to said casing and projecting through the front wall thereof, and having lugs engaging said slotted levers, a guide plate in the throat for initially receiving the slip in the act of ejection of the slip, a movable closure plate normally resting againstI said guide plate, and a check plate operatively connected and movable with said closure plate for normally extending in front of the stack of paper slips and `forming an abutment against which the foremost slip presses.

4. Apparatus o-f the character described comprising a closed casing having an openring in the front thereof and a door cling said opening, said casing having a delivery throat at the 'upper end, supporting racks secured to the rear wall of said casing', guides for the edges of the paper slips adjustably secured to said rear wall, pusher bars having adhesive tips at the upper ends thereofv adapted to engage the forward paper slips, slotted levers pivoted to said casing and to said pusher bars, key levers pivoted to said casing and projecting thro-ugh the front wall thereof, and having lugs engaging sald slotted levers, a guide f plate extending upwardly and forwardly into the delivery throat above the foremost paper slip, a pivoted closure plate having an extended edge above the guide plate and adapted lto normally but yieldingly rest against said guide plate, a check plate carried by and movable with said closure plate and normally lying against the foremost paper slip, and follower means behind lthe stack of paper slips for normally urging the same against the check plate.

JOHN EDMUND BARTLETT. 

